India's first "private, branded" train, operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) on the Lucknow-Delhi route, will soon carry a corporate name, running as the "Sprite" Tejas Express.
IRCTC has awarded train branding and advertising rights for the Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express to M/s Sprite for a period of six months. According to Railway sources, the North Eastern Railway has been instructed that Train 82501/82502, the Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow IRCTC Tejas Express, should be officially announced as the "Sprite" Tejas Express from August 19 to November 11, 2026.
What Changes for Passengers
Under the branding arrangement, the train will be announced with the "Sprite" name at both its originating station and en route stops on both legs of the journey, essentially giving the beverage brand visibility across the entire route and journey experience, not just on the train's exterior livery.
This marks a notable shift in how Indian Railways is approaching revenue generation through its more premium train services. The Tejas Express, already positioned as a premium, semi-high-speed offering, becomes the test case for this branding model, potentially opening the door for similar corporate sponsorship arrangements on other routes if the six-month pilot proves successful.
FAQs
Q1. Which train is being rebranded, and for how long?
The Lucknow-Delhi-Lucknow Tejas Express (Train 82501/82502) will run as the "Sprite" Tejas Express from August 19 to November 11, 2026.
Q2. Who was awarded the branding rights?
IRCTC awarded the train branding and advertising rights to M/s Sprite for a six-month period.
Q3. Where will the "Sprite" branding be visible to passengers?
The train will be announced as the "Sprite" Tejas Express at both the originating station and en route stations on both sides of the journey.